Sophos First to Bring Synchronised Security to Endpoints and Network

Security Heartbeat keeps lines of communication open

Sophos (LSE: SOPH), a global leader in network and endpoint security, has introduced the first synchronised security protection against today’s sophisticated threats with the Sophos Security Heartbeat™ capability of the Sophos XG series of next-generation firewalls and UTMs.

This new technology directly links next-generation firewalls and UTMs with next-generation endpoint security to share threat intelligence that enables faster detection of threats, automatic isolation of infected devices, and more immediate and targeted response and resolution. With Security Heartbeat, organisations of any size can advance their defenses against increasingly coordinated and stealthy attacks and drive a dramatic reduction in the time and resources required to investigate and address security incidents.

The Security Heartbeat pulses continuous, real-time information about suspicious behaviour or malicious activity between endpoints and the network firewall or UTM. By giving these traditionally independent products the ability to directly share intelligence, the Security Heartbeat can instantly trigger a response to stop or help control a malware outbreak or data breach. The Sophos XG Firewall uses data provided by Sophos endpoint protection to isolate and restrict access to and from the affected device, and in parallel, the endpoint protection can remediate the attack.

IT organisations can benefit from advanced threat protection capabilities without requiring additional agents, layers of complex management tools, logging and analysis tools, or expense. The Security Heartbeat is fully enabled and included as part of the Sophos XG Firewall and Sophos Cloud-managed endpoint protection.

“We are excited to deliver synchronised security to our customers in Malaysia, through Security Heartbeat™ that is available today with the new Sophos XG Series of next-generation firewalls and UTMs, and our next-generation endpoint protection,” said Sumit Bansal, Director for ASEAN, Sophos. “For too long, endpoint security and network security were treated separately which was ineffective in combating sophisticated threats that were also highly coordinated. That is changing today by allowing endpoint and network security to act as one automated, integrated system to enable organisations of any size to remediate threats without any manual intervention.”

About Sophos

More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos’ complete security solutions as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Simple to deploy, manage, and use, Sophos’ award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, mobile and network security solutions are backed by SophosLabs – a global network of threat intelligence centers.

Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, UK, and is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “SOPH.” More information is available at www.sophos.com.

How does the Security Heartbeat™ work?

When a new Sophos protected endpoint is added to the network, its Security Heartbeat automatically connects to the local Sophos XG Firewall and the endpoint immediately starts sharing health status.

If suspicious traffic is identified by the firewall, or malware is detected on the endpoint, security and threat information is instantly shared securely via the Security Heartbeat.

The endpoint reports context-rich information such as the computer name, username and process information associated with the threat.

The firewall can automatically take action to isolate the endpoint from any routed or remote networks and trigger additional action on the endpoint to mitigate risk and prevent data loss.

After the threat has been removed, the endpoint uses the Security Heartbeat to communicate updated health status back to the network, which then re-establishes normal service to the endpoint.

Security Heartbeat. This unique capability, an industry first, meaningfully links the firewall and endpoint together, enabling them to share intelligence and enhance protection against advanced threats.

Series of appliances. A comprehensive range of appliances with options for every customer, including the new entry-level XG 85(w) and high-end XG 750 models.

Hardware flexibility. The Sophos XG Firewall operating system will also run on existing Sophos SG appliances and Cyberoam NG appliances.

Deployment flexibility. Customers can choose to deploy as hardware, software or virtual appliances, and every feature is available on every form factor.

Available models range from a desktop appliance with integrated Wi-Fi to rack-mount appliances for the data center. Pricing is available from authorised Sophos partners worldwide.

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